The objective of
this course is to introduce students to the theoretical
justifications for the American Presidency, its historical
development, the role it has played and currently plays in the
American political system, and the various contemporary debates
concerning the presidency. We will examine the formal and informal
powers of the office, the factors influencing presidential leadership
and success, the influence of the presidency on American politics and
American political culture, and how these have changed over time. The
instructor will encourage students to think critically about these
issues and challenge them to consider the appropriate role for and
powers of the President.

Note:
There are several other readings and supplemental materials that will
be distributed or presented by the instructor in class. If you fail
to attend these classes, it is your responsibility to see to it that
you receive them.

Preparation,
Attendance, and Participation:It
is imperative that students complete and give serious thought to each
session's readings. Come to class prepared to discuss the readings
and to ask for any needed clarification. It is also imperative that
students attend class. Attendance
will be taken at the start of each class. Students not in the room
when attendance is taken will be considered absent. Students who
leave class early without prior permission will also be considered
absent for that class. Attendance accounts for half of your
participation grade. Exams
and quizzes will cover lecture material. Students are responsible for
any material missed due to an absence. Also, remember that your
participation grade is an important factor in your evaluation... and
obviously, one cannot participate in a class if they are not present
in that class. All
students will be expected to actively participate in class
discussions. The instructor will see to it that he fosters a
classroom environment conducive to open, civil, and productive
discussion.

Classroom
Decorum: This
is a 50 min class, so come on time. Late arrivals are not only
disruptive to your peers but to your instructor as well. Cell phones
and other communication devices should be turned off (except in
special circumstances cleared with the instructor). Be respectful
both in your behavior and comments. We will discuss issues many feel
passionate about and though lively debate is encouraged,
disrespectful comments will not be tolerated.

Grading:

Blog:

Blog
Entries and Responses: Students will be assigned to blog groups.
Member 1 from your blog group will post a blog entry and the other
group members will then respond. Member 2 will post the next blog
entry and so on. Due dates for entries and responses are listed in
the course schedule. Throughout the course, each
student will submit a total 2 three-page original blog entries and 4
one-page blog responses in their group's Discussion Board forum on
BlackBoard.Your
blog entries and responses are essentially short papers, which I
expect to be of the quality you would submit as such. This means they
are structured like a formal essay, use standard formatting, and cite
sources properly. Your first entry will make an argument about some
controversial topic related to the presidency discussed in the course
(the topic is up to you, but you must run your topic by me first). Be
sure to utilize concepts and information from the course effectively.
Your second entry will provide an analysis of a recent news article
(you must provide a link to your article in your entry), relating it
back to ideas discussed in the course. Responses must engage in
dialogue with the original entry, making a case for your
disagreement, agreement, and/or points of contention with the
original entry. The instructor will make himself available for any
help you might need with this and other assignments.

Research
Paper:

Each
student will submit a 10 page research paper on some aspect of the
modern presidency. Topics must be relevant to the course and approved
by the instructor. Topics must be approve by October 23rd.
Students should utilize standard formatting and cite their sources
properly. Excellent
papers will include the concise and coherent development of a strong
thesis backed by compelling evidence.Although
you are encouraged to make use of materials covered in class, this
paper must also include at least 3 scholarly sources outside the
course material.

PAPERS MUST BE
SUBMITTED VIA BLACKBOARD. ALL PAPERS WILL BE RUN THROUGH SAFEASSIGN.

Quizzes:
6 Quizzes will be given over the span of this course. Only the
highest 5 quiz grades will count toward final grades. Quizzes will
cover the required text materials, material presented in
class/discussions, and all other supplementary material, including
hand-outs and videos. They will be administered on dates to be
determined by the instructor. There will be NO MAKE-UPS granted for
quizzes.

Tests:
There
will be a mid-term and final exam. Both exams will consist of a mix
of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Students will
need to bring their own bluebooks. The final exam will not be
cumulative.

Incompletes
will only be given in rare circumstances, such as illness, death in
the immediate family, or other unusual and unforeseeable
circumstances. Incompletes are given at the discretion of the
instructor and only when it is possible that the completion of the
remaining work could result in a passing grade. An incomplete must be
resolved within the appropriate time limit or it will automatically
be changed to an F. The student is responsible for seeing that
incompletes are made up before the expiration date.

Academic
Dishonesty

Regarding
plagiarism, the NIU Undergraduate Catalog states: "Students are
guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they copy material from
books, magazines, or other sources without identifying and
acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or assisting others in,
either cheating or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or examination
may receive a grade of F for the course involved and may be suspended
or dismissed from the university." The above statement
encompasses a paper written in whole or in part by another; a paper
copied word-for-word or with only minor changes from another source;
a paper copied in part from one or more sources without proper
identification and acknowledgment of the sources; a paper that is
merely a paraphrase of one or more sources, using ideas and/or logic
without credit even though the actual words may be changed; and a
paper that quotes, summarizes or paraphrases, or cuts and pastes
words, phrases, or images from an Internet source without
identification and the address of the web site. Still unsure what
constitutes plagiarism? Take a lot at this website:
http://polisci.niu.edu/polisci/audience/plagiarism.shtml

Students
with Disabilities

Under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to
making reasonable accommodations for persons with documented
disabilities. Those students with disabilities that may have an
impact on their course work must register with the Center for
Access-Ability Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the Health
Services Building (753-1303). CAAR will assist students in making
appropriate instructional and/or examination accommodations with
course instructors. It is important that CAAR and instructors be
informed of any disability-related needs during the first two weeks
of the semester.

Department
of Political Science Web Site

Undergraduates
are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political
Science web site on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source
of information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff,
reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study,
research career options, tracking department events, and accessing
important details related to undergraduate programs and activities.
To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu

Undergraduate
Writing Awards

The
Department of Political Science will recognize, on an annual basis,
outstanding undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400
level political science courses or directed studies. Authors do not
have to be political science majors or have a particular class
standing. Winners are expected to attend the Department’s spring
graduation ceremony, where they will receive a certificate and
$50.00. Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty, must
be supplied in triplicate to a department secretary by the end of
March. All copies should have two cover pages – one with the
student’s name and one without the student’s name. Only papers
written in the previous calendaryear
can be considered for the award. However, papers completed in the
current spring semester are eligible for the following year’s
competition even if the student has graduated.

Political
Science Website

Students
are encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science website
on a regular basis. This central source of information will assist
students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course
requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, and researching
career options. Undergraduates may find this website especially
useful in tracking down department events and for accessing important
details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To reach
this site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu/.

Tentative
Schedule:

BB=
Reading available in the “Course Documents” section on BlackBoard

MN=
Sidney M. Milkis and Michael Nelson

PM=
Joseph A. Pika and John Anthony Maltese

K=
Samuel Kernell

N=
Richard Neustadt

Note: The
instructor reserves the right to adjust the schedule and readings as
he deems appropriate.